Mini Tour Play

[Shindig]

^^ Didn't end up trying. It was $350, and I'd just played in an event, that I didn't win any money in. Plus I wasn't feeling to confident in my game at the time. On top of all that, tHe Nissan Open qualifier is only $200, and the US Open $150. $350 for Nationwide Tour just didn't equal out this year.

... why is it more expensive to attempt to qualify for the Nationwide Tour? Is it as simple as just a supply-and-demand issue, that more people want to qualify for the US Open than the Nationwide Tour, so the organizations in charge have far more qualifying areas ready for the US Open than for the Nationwide Tour?

[Terrier]

The Myrtle Beach Sun News newspaper does an update every week on how the local mini-tour pros are doing. It's one of my favorite reads, along with Kristy McPherson's monthly column.

All the tours are so saturated with talent. My hat is off to any underdog that makes it and has grinded it to make it.

[crazy_horst]

The Myrtle Beach Sun News newspaper does an update every week on how the local mini-tour pros are doing. It's one of my favorite reads, along with Kristy McPherson's monthly column.

What do you know?!!

[Terrier]

What do you know?!!

I saw the movies "Rudy" and "Invincible". All my knowledge of underdogs come from those two flicks.

Oh, and "Rocky".

[crazy_horst]

[for the uninitiated, I was just kidding - terrier is my 3rd cousin twice removed on my uncle Ricardo's side]

[Terrier]

[for the uninitiated, I was just kidding -

Yes, we were extras in the movie Wrong Turn. Shhh...

LOL

[Ben]

... why is it more expensive to attempt to qualify for the Nationwide Tour? Is it as simple as just a supply-and-demand issue, that more people want to qualify for the US Open than the Nationwide Tour, so the organizations in charge have far more qualifying areas ready for the US Open than for the Nationwide Tour?

You know, I just don't know? That kinda threw me for a loop too. But, that was the case. I'm following your theory though. Sounds logical, quite possibly so.

Breakthrough couple of days for me though. Just got back from Las Vegas. I was able to play in (for the second year) this ESPN Club Pro tournament . (All you guys should check it out too, there's an amateur event tied in with it.) Anyway. It was at Paiute in LV. Played the Wolf the first day then Sun Mountain the next. Shot even day one, 1 over day two. A few slight putting errors and an arrant tee shot cost me my strokes. But, I was extremely pleased with my overall performance for the two days. I finished in a tie for 7th (of about 90 pros). Cashed around $1450. At one point on the first day we had the cameras following our group. The last 5 holes I think it was. The ESPN people were checking scores and it turned out that one guy in my group was in the lead and I was close behind. At that time I was 2 under. He was at 4 under. It was between the time they found out and started filming us when I doubled. Actually made a solid putt to get double. Could have been worse. I did however go on to birdie the next hole, a par 5, in front of the camera. That felt good. Then went bogey on the hole after that. Stinkin golf! The second day, just couldn't get my putter going. Gave myself some really good looks. But the greens were a little trickier on the Sun Mountain course. I found myself putting defensively, they were pretty slick. The ones on the Wolf were certainly fast, but for some reason I felt I could putt on them with some aggression. I made a TON of putts day one, had 5 birdies. I did get a practice round in on the Wolf though. I guess there's something to that... If anyone ever has the chance to play these courses take the chance. It is absolutely amazing there! The courses (I didn't mention the third course, yeah, 3!) are superb. The scenery was spectacular. You hear nothing but golf course. Well, you hear your fair share of jet fighters flying overhead. The first day I saw two just cruising no more than maybe 500 yards from the ground. I don't know if it was that low, but they were right over the floor. Today I saw two Apache helicopters doing the same. You're right on the edge of civilization. In ever direction you see WIDE OPEN desert. Impressive place.

[Shindig]

Breakthrough couple of days for me though. Just got back from Las Vegas. I was able to play in (for the second year) this

Congrats on your playing well. It does bring up something about mini tours I've been wondering for a while, ever since following a link to the Pepsi Tour a while back. In short, how do guys on the mini tours survive? I don't just mean how do they continue playing so well, but how does one pay for the day-to-day expenses of playing on one of these tours on twenty grand a year? I realize that the better players on Hooters and Grey Goose tours can make six figures, and others can make a good income, but the smaller mini-tours, it just looks to me like it's income that would be tough but possible to live on if one were to have a 9-to-5 job, such as while in school, but to try to earn a full living? Or do they get endorsers? Side jobs?

[Spectrums]

For any junior on here; pjgt.org (Plantations Junior Golf Tour) runs a great junior tour.

Playing in two of those in late December.

[Ben]

Spectrums good luck in your upcoming events! Is the AJGA big in your part of the country? I know there are a ton of kids who play in that that practice at one of the local courses here. My buddy Sam plays in it too. Sounds to be the premier junior "tour".

Shindig, yeah, I've thought about the guys who play "full-time" on these mini, mini tours and how they can make a living. Most of the guys I've played with just play events part time. I think it's the just out of college, living with parents type that are the true full timers who can afford to not really make a ton of dough. However, on the Pepsi Tour, the top dog JT Kohut. He's in his 30s, (I think, I palyed with him one time). He seems to do it full time. But as the money list says, only at $25K or something for a year.

The good thing about SoCal is that there are 3 or 4 different mini tours going. I think I've seen JT play in one of the other tours.

[Ben]

Official results:

http://espngolf.com/clubpros.htm#proresults

Got more than I thought! Ben Tateel tied for 7th.

[Shindig]

Official results:

Congrats! (I'm guessing that's you)

[Spectrums]

AJGA isn't too large around my region; we get one or two tournaments a year around where I live. The Plantation Tour isn't big here either, but I need some tournament practice, and there is two of them, so that's what I play in.

[Ben]

Who's on a roll? That would be, me! Took second place at a Pepsi Tour event today played at Brookside in Pasadena . Shot even par (on course #1), so second was a nice surprise. Didn't think that would put me up so high. I ain't complaining though. I am stoked. I really felt like I stepped up after placing in my last event.

I felt comfortable and focused all day long. I had two shots get away from me that I paid for in bogeys. Missed a number of putts from within 15 feet for birdie, but hey, I guess you can't make them all. Would have been nice to make at least two though. All in all, I feel GREAT about my play today.

I'll get a link to the official standings when they're posted.

[Shindig]

Who's on a roll? That would be, me! Took second place at a Pepsi Tour event today played at

Congrats again Ben.

[Spectrums]

Very nice Ben, congrats!

[BritBoy]

Cangrats again Ben!!!! Whats the next event for you?

[Ben]

Thanks guys! Unfortunately nothing until the end of the month.

Pepsi Tour at Wood Ranch in Simi Valley I've played this course a few times, so I expect a little better score than yesterday. However, it is a bit of a tougher course. We shall see.

Our driving range is back to grass so I'll be able to put more work into my swing than I have in the past month (which was pretty much nothing, stupid mats).